Free UK Retirement Readiness Check
The Your Pension Choices Retirement Readiness Check is a free UK online assessment that asks about 11 areas of your retirement plans. In about two minutes, it provides an indicative readiness score, highlights topics that may benefit from regulated advice, and helps route you to a suitable local or remote adviser.
Start the free retirement readiness check
How does the retirement readiness check work?
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1. Describe your retirement plans
Tell the checker about your age, target retirement date, pensions, income goals and the areas where you want help.
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2. Receive an indicative assessment
The tool summarises your retirement readiness, likely advice needs and the apparent complexity of your circumstances.
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3. Choose whether to speak to an adviser
If you want help, request a free initial consultation with an FCA-regulated adviser who can assess your full circumstances.
What does the retirement checker consider?
- Your current age and intended retirement age
- The approximate total value of your pensions
- How many separate pension pots you hold
- Your work and pension-contribution position
- Your preferred level of retirement income
- Savings and investments outside pensions
- Whether you own your home
- Your main retirement-planning goals
- How confident you feel about your current plan
- Your UK postcode for adviser coverage
- Potential areas where regulated advice may add value
Frequently asked questions
What is a retirement readiness check?
A retirement readiness check is an initial assessment of your retirement timing, pension position, income goals and planning priorities. This checker gives an indicative result to help you understand possible next steps; it is not a personal financial recommendation.
Is the retirement readiness check free?
Yes. The online check and any initial adviser consultation arranged through Your Pension Choices are free, with no obligation to proceed. An adviser will explain any potential advice charges before you agree to paid work.
How long does the retirement check take?
Most people can complete the check in about two minutes. The conversational format can understand several facts from one answer, then asks only for information still needed to produce the assessment.
Is the result financial advice?
No. The score and highlighted advice needs are indicative only and do not recommend a pension product, transfer, consolidation or investment. Only a regulated adviser who has assessed your full circumstances can provide personal financial advice.
What information will I need?
You only need approximate information about your age, retirement plans, total pension value, number of pension pots, other savings, goals and postcode. Do not enter policy numbers, account numbers, National Insurance numbers, passwords, medical details or other sensitive information.
How does the checker use AI?
Only if you choose the AI-assisted route, the checker uses xAI to understand redacted free-text answers and select useful follow-up questions. Your Pension Choices controls the displayed questions, readiness assessment and adviser-routing rules, and the AI does not provide personal financial advice. You can instead complete the same assessment with standard questions without sending answers to xAI.
What happens if I request adviser contact?
You will be asked for your contact details in the standard enquiry form. Your answers, indicative assessment and conversation accompany the enquiry so the adviser has useful context before getting in touch.
Can I use the checker anywhere in the UK?
Yes. The checker is designed for UK retirement planning. Depending on adviser coverage and your circumstances, the suggested next step may be a local adviser or a remote consultation by phone or video.
Official UK retirement resources
- Pension Wise from MoneyHelper — Government-backed guidance about defined contribution pension options.
- Check the FCA Register — Verify whether a financial firm or individual is authorised.
- Check your State Pension age — Use the official GOV.UK State Pension age service.
Important: The result is indicative only and is not financial advice. A regulated adviser must assess your full circumstances before making a personal recommendation.